Shipping box for baby chicks



Aug. 16, 1955 R. s. ZEBARTH SHIPPING BOX FOR BABY CHICKS Filed Sept. 4. 1953 ul l" INVENTOR. Raw 5. Z war/h BY United States Patent snrernso nox FoR BABY CHICKS Ralph S. Zeharth, Hickman Mills, Mo., assignor to Gordon .lohnson Company, Kansas City, N a corporation of Missouri Application September 4, 1951, Serial No. 244,900

3 Claims. (Cl. 2223) This invention relates to box or container construction and particularly to receptacles of the class employed in the transportation and housing of baby chicks, the primary object being to provide a crate having both permanent and disposable materials for the principal purpose of reducing handling costs so far as the raiser is concerned and additionally, to protect the chicks themselves not only while in the box but as the same are being removed therefrom and cared for thereafter.

it is common practice in the poultry business to use cardboard boxes for receiving baby chicks from the incubator and shipping or transporting the same to a brooder that constitutes standard equipment used by the raiser or feeder. Such cardboard boxes are usually provided with lids that are in turn used as a feeding tray in the brooder house for a period of time while the chicks are small and in need of delicate care. In removing the chicks from the box it is necessary to handle the same which not only tends to be hazardous to the chickens themselves, but is time-consuming.

While the boxes may oftentimes be re-used, the chances of becoming damaged are great and the problems of transporting the same back to the point of incubation usually outweigh the savings in attempting to re-use the boxes.

The cardboard boxes above mentioned and in common use today are usually shipped to the hatchery in a flat condition and must be made up ready for receiving the chicks shortly after the same are hatched. It is necessary to have a large supply of boxes ready for use presenting a storage problem and the labor of folding the same into usable condition is also expensive.

it is the most important object of the present invention therefore, to eliminate the problems above set forth by providing a box which for the most part, may be reused by simply feeding the same through a suitable machine for washing and thereupon, merely supplying the box with a new disposable bottom.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a box having a disposable bottom that may be quickly and easily folded and fastened in place immediately prior to use.

A further object hereof is to provide a disposable bot- I,

tom for boxes of this character that is easily removed in the brooder house whereupon the box is lifted from the bottom without injury to the chicks and without the necessity of rehandling the same, the disposable bottom being thereupon usable as a feed tray.

Another object hereof is to provide a box having relatively rigid side walls and partitions preferably molded or otherwise formed and having the partitions thereof raised above the bottom of the box when the latter is applied thereto so that the chicks will not become injured during transportation.

Other objects include the way in which an inturned lip or flange is provided to keep the chicks from jumping out; the way in which a bendable lid is releasably held in place by ears underlying the aforesaid lip; the manner of releasably securing the bottom wall of the box to the sides "ice thereor; and many additional, more minor objects hereinafter set forth.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a shipping box for baby chicks made pursuant to the present invention parts being broken away and in section for clearness.

Fig. 2 is a vertical, cross-sectional view taken on line lill of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, cross-sectional view illustrating the manner of releasably attaching the lid at the corners of the box; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, detailed, cross-sectional view taken on line IVIV of Fig. 1.

The component parts of the box illustrated in the drawing include a polygonal side wall 10, an initially flat, disposable bottom 12, a flexible lid 14, a pair of intersecting partitions 16 and 18, and a padding or lining 20 superimposed upon the bottom wall 12.

It is contemplated that the side Wall 10, partitions 16 and 18, and the top Wall 14, be of permanent material not likely to become seriously damaged over long periods of use and to this end, wall It) may be cast or molded as a unitary continuous structure. As illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawing, the sides 10 of the box are preferably inclined with the greatest cross-sectional area at the base thereof. Through such construction, when the boxes are arranged in side-by-side stacks, sufficient circulation of air is presented for passage into a pinrality of openings 22 formed in the sides 10 of the box.

As is well known by those skilled in this art, the matter of regulation of the temperature for baby chicks is extremely important and by providing a tubular construction as herein illustrated with sloping, perforated side walls, the danger of suffocation is decreased. To this end it is desirable to provide a plurality of perforations 24 in each of the partitions 16 and 18 respectively. By providing the partitions 16 and 18, the chicks are subdivided within a number of compartments and such construction additionally lessens the chances of suffocation that results in crowding.

These partitions 16 and 18 may likewise be advantageously molded with the side walls 1d during the manufacture of the permanent portion of the container. A continuous inturned flange or lip 26 is provided at the uppermost edge of the side Walls 10 in partial overlapping relationship to the upper edges of the partitions 16 and 18 presenting a polygonal inlet opening 28 that is closed during shipment by the lid 14. Lid 14 is supported by the upper edges of partitions 16 and 18 and releasably held in place by a plurality of ears 30, preferably one at each corner of the lid 14 and extending beneath the lip 26. A block 32 at each corner respectively of the box and extending upwardly from the lip 26 thereof, as well as a block 34 on the lid 14, serve to support the boxes when superimposed in stacked relationship presenting air circulation spaces between the boxes. Lid 14 may likewise be provided with perfora tions for ventilation purposes if desired and block 34 serves additionally as a handle for removing and replacing the lid 14. By virtue of the flexibility of the lid 14, the cars 30 snap into place when the lid 14 is fitted Within the inlet opening 28 and readily slipped from beneath the lip 26 when the lid 14 is removed.

In fulfilling the primary objects of this invention as above set forth, the bottom Wall 12 is made from relatively inexpensive, disposable material such as corrugated cardboard and is provided with a line of weakness 36 adjacent each of the four marginal edges thereof respectively, the area defined by the lines of weakness 36 being the same as the cross-sectional area of the base of the tubular side wall 10. The lines of weakness 36 therefore, define a plurality of flaps or flange portions 38 and such flange portions 38 are additionally provided with at least two readily removable tabs 40 defined by continuous linesof weakness or perforations 42. A

suitable fastening element for each tab 40 respectively or for opening 44 that is presented uponremoval of the a tab 40, is secured to the side wall and designated.

broadly by the numeral 46.

Elements .46 may be either molded rigidly Within the side wall 10 whenthe same is formed or releasably secured in place by means of a nut 48. Elements 46 are knurled, i. e. provided with a plurality of external ribs 50 having a diameter greater than the opening 44. By

virtue, of the, yieldability of'the material from which. bottom wall 12 is formed, the flange portions 38 may be readily and easily bent at right angles to themain flat panel defined by the lines of weakness 36 and forced over the ribs 50 of fastening elements 46. Fig. 4 of the drawing shows clearly the disposition of the flange portions 38 when the same are folded against the side Walls 10 and held in place by the innermost rib 50.

It is common practice to utilize a soft, disposable pad 'or lining 20 upon the bottom wall 12 for keeping the box substantially dry during shipment of the baby chicks and to the end that a single continuous'sheet of material 20 maybeused, the lowermost edges of the partitions '16 and 18 are spaced above the lowermost edge of the tubular side wall 20 as most clearlyillustrated in Figs. 2 and 4 of the drawing. The space between the lower edges of the partitions 16 and 18nd the lining 20, should be sufliciently large to receive the feet of the chicks and yet prevent the'same from passing from one I I compartment to the other within the box.

' In forming the bottom wall 12, the corners are notched f as at 52 whereby the flange portions 38 may be easily and readily folded and attached to the elements 46.

Such folding operation may take place quickly and easily by hand or'by suitable machines adapted to carry out the operation. 7 During the folding step, as soon as the tabs are moved into engagement with the fastening elements 46, such tabs 40 will break loose, presenting the openings 44. 7

Removal of thechicks from the box is accomplished without manual handling by merely re-bending the marginal portions 38 downwardly'and lifting the entire ass'erribly, including side walls 10 and partitions 16 and 18. The lining 20 may thereupon bedisposed of and the bottom wall 12 used as a feeding tray. The permanent'portions 10,14, 16 and 18, are thereupon returned to the hatchery, washed and perhaps sterilized and thereby made ready for receiving another bottom wall 12 and lining 20. V i

Having thus described the invention what is claimed ,as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a permanent shipping box .for baby chicks, a plurality of'rigidly interconnectedside walls; anumber of partitions integral with the side walls, presenting a plurality of compartments in the box; a separate, disposable bottom; means fastening the bottom to the'side V walls; a continuousiinturned flange on the side walls in overlying engagement with, all of 'the partitions for discouraging the chicks from jumping out of the box, defining an access opening in the box; a flexible lid separate when the side walls are placed uponthe bottom, said.

from all the partitions and the box and'resting on all of the partitions when disposed in the access opening to close the same; and means on the lid underlying the.

flange for holding the lid against the partitions and confined within the opening whereby said flange additionally holds the lid against lateral displacement, said lid being coplanar with the flange when the lid is in the access opening.

2. In a permanent, shipping box for'baby chicks, a plurality of rigidly interconnected side walls; a number of partitions within the confines of said side walls; presenting a plurality of compartments in the box; a separate, disposable bottom; means fastening the bottom to the side walls; a continuous inturned flange on, the side Walls in overlying engagementwith all'ofthe partitions for discouraging the chicks fromjumping out of the box,

defining an access opening in the box; means rigidy join-. ing the partitions to the sidewalls for holding the same,

spaced above the bottom throughout the lengths of said' partitions, whereby .to protect the feet and legs of the chicks in the compartments; a flexible lid separate from all the partitions and thebox, said lid resting on all of the partitions when disposed in the access opening to close the same, and the spacing between the partitions and the bottom being smaller than the chicks, whereby said chicks are prevented from'moving between compart-' ments when the lid is in the access opening; and means on the lid underlying'the flange for holding the lid against the partitions and confined within the opening whereby said flange additionally holds the lid against lateral displacement, said lid being coplanar with the flange when the lid is in the access opening.

- 3. In a permanent shipping box for baby chicksas. i 'set forth in claim, 1, wherein said bottom comprises an initially flat panel provided with a number of integral flange portions, there being a line of weakness joining each flange portion respectively with the panel-whereby the flange portions may be readily turned upwardly means for fastening the bottom to the side walls comprising fastening elements on the outer faces of the side.

' walls, said flange portions having a number of continuous lines of weakness, each defining a readily removable tab, presenting openings for receiving the corresponding fastening. elements, said fastening elements being provided with ribs for holding the flanges against the side walls when the fastening elements are in the Paul Q Oct. 28, 1952 

